Father fights for daughter lost in 'secret' adoption

A father's fight to reunite with his daughter who was secretly placed for adoption has finally come to an end.

Robert Manzanares has spent the past six years trying to regain custody of his daughter Kaia. Fox News explains Kaia's mother left Colorado while she was pregnant and secretly gave birth in Utah in 2008. Days later she put her daughter up for adoption and returned home.

This put both Colorado and Utah courts in Manzanares' way. After spending several years and more than $500,000, he was eventually able to get joint custody of his daughter with her adoptive parents, but is still waiting for his appeal for full custody to play out.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert signed a bill earlier this month giving fathers new rights in adoption cases. The Adoption Act Amendments would require mothers to live in the state for at least 90 days and the court may order them to notify the birth father before putting her baby up for adoption.

Comments

What a travesty. Of course, the father should have rights when it comes to his child. Shame on the mother who caused such disturbances not only in his life but in the lives of her daughter and her adoptive parents. Couldn't she be sued for fraud or theft or even child trafficking? After all, the child was only half hers.

The Utah Legislator passed a law, without historical reference, and without consideration of future generations. Govenor Michael Leavitt should also have known better. That said the way forward is ahead not back. Corrections need to be made by the legislator soon. It is also quite telling to hear proponents of the law defend their fraud so openly. As if the defrauding of their men has been an long acceptable norm. Women who reserve the right to lie, and blame their husbands/partners, to avoid any consequences.

Thank you! As a stepmom I can say that my stepson is trapped in his home with his mother. She doesn't keep a job, does drugs in front of him and intentionally got herself pregnant. And has been trying to find someone else to get her pregnant so that when this child support check runs out she will have income. The state does not help and not everyone can afford to stay in court. There are no rights for fathers and just because you give birth does not make someone a good mother! I am certain our State Senator has me blocked from sending any more emails!

Only dads can change the laws. Unite and contact your senators and legislative people. Women are seen by the judges, both men and women, as the better home source and 'the nuturer.' Ridiculous but thats the way it is.

I'm happy Utah is doing something to change their God awful, backwards ways. Mothers have rights, but those rights shouldn't include stripping away the rights of the father. Too bad this has all come about fifty years late.

This is how I read this:The birther mother (?) had left the state to give birth, (not the first time this has occurred), and returned to a previous, pre-pregnant life. Current laws give her this long, and often successfully pursued optioned. With the more current state of discussion concerning the rights of all parties in a birth, the birth father should have been the first call the adoption "agency" contacted. To proceed to a direct adoption without the consent of both concieving parties, is purposely avoidant. This not having occurred gives pause to the legitimacy of the "agency".What is paramount is the 'agency of self'. Pregnancy having been a violation of that sovereignty to the birth mother, she correctly chose adoption rather than abortion. Thusly preserving the sovereignty of the child in regards to it's right to life. But violated that child's self-agency in any involvement or considerations of the birth father. And again violated the birth father's self-agency in all parts in this process.It would seem the greater discussion of the rights of both parties in a birth haven't been genuine from the start. 1. At what part in any one's gene's, is anyone capable to determine the paternal/maternal capabilities of another? At what point is that determination lawful? 2. At what point does anyone become culpable for these actions? It is not lawful to transport a child across state line with out a parent's consent. It is unlawful to deprive/with hold child from their parent. Fraud, intent to defraud, conspiring to defraud, kidnapping, false testimony, to begin.